unctad/unece workshop strengthening national and regional trade facilitation organizations

UNCTAD/UNECE WorkshopStrengthening National and Regional Trade

Facilitation Organizations

Gerard McLinden International Trade Department

The World Bank

Session 5: Tools and Standards for Trade Facilitation

Geneva31 October – 1 November 2006

Outline Pre-requisites for sustainable TF improvementPre-requisites for sustainable TF improvement Two case studies in private/public cooperation for TFTwo case studies in private/public cooperation for TF

TFNSPTFNSP GFPTTGFPTT

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Prerequisites for sustainable trade facilitation improvement

Sustained political will and commitment to reform and Sustained political will and commitment to reform and modernizationmodernization

A clear, agreed and realistic vision for the future with milestones A clear, agreed and realistic vision for the future with milestones and performance measures established and performance measures established

Accurate diagnosis of needs and prioritiesAccurate diagnosis of needs and priorities A comprehensive long term plan and strategy based on a realistic A comprehensive long term plan and strategy based on a realistic

assessment of the barriersassessment of the barriers Access to appropriate assistance and resources where and when Access to appropriate assistance and resources where and when

neededneeded Cooperation and engagement of all stakeholders with practical Cooperation and engagement of all stakeholders with practical

participation mechanisms establishedparticipation mechanisms established

Case study 1: Trade Facilitations Negotiations Support Program

Based on a recognition that many developing Based on a recognition that many developing countries are poorly equipped to negotiate on TF in countries are poorly equipped to negotiate on TF in the WTO contextthe WTO context

Simple and focused mandate:Simple and focused mandate: To bring together Customs, other border To bring together Customs, other border

management agencies, and representatives of the management agencies, and representatives of the trade to identify national needs and priorities and trade to identify national needs and priorities and negotiating positions as they relate directly to the negotiating positions as they relate directly to the WTO TF negotiation processWTO TF negotiation process

To establish a ‘real time’ analysis and reporting To establish a ‘real time’ analysis and reporting link between Geneva-based negotiators and link between Geneva-based negotiators and capital-based subject matter expertscapital-based subject matter experts


Bank prepared and distributed a Trade Facilitation Bank prepared and distributed a Trade Facilitation Negotiations Support Guide (TN/TF/W51) to assist Negotiations Support Guide (TN/TF/W51) to assist officials to establish support groups in their capitalsofficials to establish support groups in their capitals

Proof of concept pilots conducted in Jamaica, Proof of concept pilots conducted in Jamaica, Uganda, Peru, Senegal, Sri LankaUganda, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka

Experience shared with all WTO Members through Experience shared with all WTO Members through NGTF and regional seminarsNGTF and regional seminars


The Uganda National Task Force on Trade Facilitation (NTFTF) brings together subject matter specialists from all key agencies and organizations involved in trade facilitation and border management to: analyze proposals tabled in the WTO Trade Facilitation Negotiating Group; to develop any proposals that Uganda may wish to submit to the WTO for consideration; and to identify any capacity building needs, priorities, and implementation issues that may flow from any commitments being considered in the context of the WTO Trade Facilitation negotiations.

It will do this by:


• Analyzing proposals tabled in the WTO Trade Facilitation Negotiation Group meetings in Geneva;• Determining Uganda’s position on each of the proposals;• Preparing any proposals Uganda may wish to table;• Maintaining open communication and feedback with all relevant public and private sector stakeholders to ensure all views are considered in the framing negotiating positions;• Acting as a principle point of contact for Geneva-based negotiators; and• Consolidating stakeholder views and communicating them to Geneva-based negotiators.


The role of the Chair will be to:

• Act as the principle point of contact for Geneva-based negotiators on matters relating to the Trade Facilitation negotiations;• Convene and chair meetings of the NTFTF as required to meet the WTO negotiating timetable and/or requests received from Geneva;• Coordinate input or recommendations on issues arising from or related to the trade facilitation negotiations;• Maintain a contact list of NTFTF members; and• Consolidate all stakeholder recommendations emanating from the Group’s meetings and formulate a final position consistent with government policies and objectives.


The Role of Individual Members of the NTFTF:

• Attend and actively participate in meetings of the NTFTF;• Identify and analyze any proposals or issues arising from the TF negotiations that are relevant to the agency’s mandate, policies and administrative responsibilities;• Nominate “on-call officers” to facilitate communication on urgent matters with Geneva-based negotiators;• Accept responsibility for identifying internal and external stakeholders within their sphere of expertise and responsibility and ensure their views are obtained and considered by the NTFTF in a timely manner.


Observations and results:

• Concept sound• Public and private participants have very similar goals• Difficult to establish without external assistance• Maintaining enthusiasm and participation difficult• Lack of timely feedback from Geneva a problem• More time consuming than anticipated• Success heavily dependent on strong Chair and capable secretariat

Case study 2: Global Facilitation Partnership for Transport and Trade

Overview:

The GFP brings together interested parties, public and private, national and international, who want to help achieve significant improvements in transport and trade facilitation. The Partners have together agreed to design and undertake specific programs towards meeting this objective, making use of their respective comparative advantage in the subject matter in a coordinated fashion


Brief History

• Launched June 1999• Founding Partners: WCO, ICC, IECC, UNCTAD, WB• As at October 2006: 202 partners, 581 registered individuals

• Institutions: WTO, IMF, EU, OAS, etc.• Professional Organizations: IRU, ICAO, IMO, etc.• Private Sector: 90 companies


Participating private partner interests:

• Streamlining of border related administrative controls• Achieving lower transactions costs, improved consistency and speedier clearance of import/export and transit goods• Keeping informed of global developments• Developing and promoting new business products and services• Influencing the global agenda

Participating Institution interests:

• Promote and support implementation of recommendations, guidelines and international conventions addressing trade and transport facilitation issues


General Meetings

Feb 2000 (DC), Jun 2001 (DC), Feb 2003 (Bxl), Jun 2003 (DC), Nov 2003 (Bxl), Jul 2004 (DC), Jan 2005 (Bxl), Sep 2005 (Gva), Oct 2006 (DC)

GFPTT.Org

• Comprehensive reference tool for trade facilitation practitioners and researchers (Average 5,700 hits per day – 145,000 visitors in last year)• Over 700 Reference Documents now on the GFP website • 77 Trade and transport facilitation topics maintained by core partners and regularly updated


Governance Structure:

Steering Committee

WB, WCO, ICC, UNCTAD, UNECE, UNIDO• First Meeting Nov. 5, 2003 Brussels• Meet before each GFP meeting

Core Partners

WB, WCO, UNCTAD, UNECE, UNIDO, IRU, TIACA, BULPRO


Observations and results:

• Concept sound but mandate limited – information sharing the key deliverable• Huge variation in interests, capacities and engagement of partners• Maintaining enthusiasm between meetings has proved difficult• More resource intensive than anticipated• Most of the work has fallen on the shoulders of a very small number of active contributors – success dependent on their support• Travel costs have hindered participation in general meetings

Key Lessons Learned: Clarity in purpose and mandate essentialClarity in purpose and mandate essential A shared long term vision is importantA shared long term vision is important Expectations need to be realisticExpectations need to be realistic Resource intensive for participants – financial support neededResource intensive for participants – financial support needed Sustainability difficult to achieve – needs to be factored into Sustainability difficult to achieve – needs to be factored into

designdesign Strong organization and management essentialStrong organization and management essential Secretariat support the key ingredientSecretariat support the key ingredient